Crankshaft outer oil seal Questions!

[BenH]

Hi Folks, quick Q's if I may!

I fear I may have over topped-up the oil on my BRM.

I have always found the dipstick to give inconsistent readings even though I have always taken readings on level ground, and also by jacking it up rear and sideways to achieve perfect level on my driveway via a spirit level (which lives in the glove box, ever prepared!) measured lengthways along the sill and sideways across the engine cam cover.

As a result of these inconsistent readings I think I have gradually been 'topping up' possibly a tad too much when it wasn't actually necessary, realised today** by feeling a small weeping of oil around the outer crankshaft oil seal I (Left hand side of engine when viewed from the front of the car). I check this and other potential oil leak sites every couple days because I'm paranoid about such matters.

My questions are:

1. By doing an oil change and refilling with a correct measured amount, is the currently leaking seal likely to stop leaking once relieved of the extra pressure, or is it going to keep leaking once 'breached'?

2. Is it necessary to drain the engine oil before replacing this oil seal? I would imagine not, as surely most of the oil would be contained in the sump which is a good distance below the crankshaft outer bearing location.



** Discovered it when I got to Silverstone for the FIA GT's quali day, did a quick under engine check when I got there as usual after a long run. It had been a rapid drive there:):), and I had 'topped up' yesterday evening, oops. I dried it up and drove home at no more than 3000 RPM all the way, and the crank seal was bone dry when I got home after 125 miles.

Cheers v much for any advice! :):)

[soberphil]

My questions are:

1. By doing an oil change and refilling with a correct measured amount, is the currently leaking seal likely to stop leaking once relieved of the extra pressure, or is it going to keep leaking once 'breached'?

2. Is it necessary to drain the engine oil before replacing this oil seal? I would imagine not, as surely most of the oil would be contained in the sump which is a good distance below the crankshaft outer bearing location.


Hi Ben,

1) I suspect once the seal has started to leak it will continue to do so, though personally I doubt the seal will have gone through your overfilling (unless it was significantly overfilled). My real point though is I don't think the using a "correct measured amount" technique will work as you never get all the old oil out during an oil change, thus you don't know exactly how much you need to add to bring up to a pre determined level. I guess just kep an eye on it and see if it continues to leak

2) Left hand of engine as looked at from front of car is I think the crankshaft front oil seal (as opposed to rear which would be at the flywheel end), which according to workshop manual you have to remove the camshaft timing belt in order to replace, but I don't think you do need to drain the oil.

Hope this helps.
Phil.

ps On the subject of oil and oil changes, does anyone else find their engine distinctly less noisy immediately after topping up with oil? The supposedly typical k series vvc clackety sound almost disappears first start up after an oil change for me, but it always comes back quickly. Makes me wonder if something is being starved of oil most of the time but immediately following the change it's well lubricated do to oil flowing through the engine from the filler cap downwards.

[BenH]

Nice one Phil, thanks. It seems to be staying absolutely dry now, most bizarre, although still at low revs. I'll do an oil change tomorrow to about 2/3rds up the dipstick, and do a higher rev test run, fingers crossed. No big problem if it does need replacing however. :):)

[Jon_A]

I have always found the dipstick to give inconsistent readings even though I have always taken readings on level ground

I have found that you can never get a decent reading, it seems the oil doesn't show a 'level' on the actual stick. You can get oil both ends and nothing in the middle!

Only had this with the 1.8 vvc and not seen this before on either a 1.6 or 1.4 K series that I have seen.

[soberphil]

I have found that you can never get a decent reading, it seems the oil doesn't show a 'level' on the actual stick. You can get oil both ends and nothing in the middle!

Only had this with the 1.8 vvc and not seen this before on either a 1.6 or 1.4 K series that I have seen.

Totally agree, it often isn't easy to get a clear reading, and I end up dipping several times.

[Jon_A]

Well it is good to hear that others have this and its not just mine :smile2: